I was sitting in Computer Science class, senior year of High School. When the announcement came of the disaster, and the teacher asked if we knew anything about this particular mission, I was the only student in class that knew a teacher was among the crew.

MmmmBacon:I was sitting in Computer Science class, senior year of High School. When the announcement came of the disaster, and the teacher asked if we knew anything about this particular mission, I was the only student in class that knew a teacher was among the crew.

I had just finished my grade 12 English exam and was heading home for lunch when I heard it in the car.

Was working plainclothes security for Macy's and wandered over to Electronics to watch the launch (it was a slow day). When the few of us there realized what we had just witnessed, it was like we all went numb. Within a few hours, nearly the entire store was empty, except for the employees. A very sad day.

What really brought it home for me was when I got home from school that afternoon, and saw the announcement on MTV that they were immediately retiring the hourly "Moonman" intro. That may seem kinda weird, but it brought home the enormity of the event, that this quite literally changed things forever. Our space program during my lifetime (born in 68) had been mostly a model of efficiency and safety, especially the Shuttle program. That was over, and our country and in some ways the world hasn't been the same since.

I was playing piano in the living room while my family huddled at the other end of the house with the TV. So I missed it live but saw the replays about as often as I got to see the Tacoma Narrows Bridge video in a series of science and engineering classes.

If you remember Challenger, you also remember a time when you could not watch any video in the history of video with a mouse click. You had to wait for replays on TV. You had to wait for the projector to be rolled into class and the teacher to order the film. You had to have a blank tape ready and hit record at the right time (not valid with Macrovision-protected video inputs).

I was in second grade, and we were all a little upset that we didn't get to see the shuttle launch. We'd been hearing about this "teacher in space" for over a year, but we weren't going to see it happen. Then during recess we starting picking up on a vibe from the teachers that "something" had happened to the shuttle. We were kids, so we had all sorts of theories, including UFOs and the like. The teachers weren't really saying anything. Now, it was a private, religious school, so suddenly we were all herded into the chapel for a special prayer service. That's when we learned what had happened. When I got home, I finally got to see the footage. Because it was on every channel, and that meant I didn't get to see my cartoons that day.

Electronics class in HS. The principal announced it over the intercom and my electronics teacher cried...crusty shop teacher type. Not boo-hoo but taking off glasses to wipe tears...I'll never forget that.

Rounding at the VA hospital in Wichita. One of those truly unbelievable moments. I remember seeing the first images and thinking we were just seeing the boosters separate and the shuttle was not in that huge gas ball. Took a while for it to sink in.

At home, working on my resume (on an IBM Selectric Typewriter) and job applications. Looking at "Want Ads" in a thing called a "newspaper." Going to real buildings with real people submitting job applications, and having something different to converse about for about a week.

I was about 7 years old, and I remember knowing that a teacher was on board. Being so young, I have to ask the older Farkers, was it pretty standard for people to make a point to watch shuttle launches? I don't remember ever watching shuttle launches after that (probably for good reason). But it seems like a lot of people were looking forward to this launch. Was it because this one had a civilian or was it pretty standard to get this excited about a launch?

Maturin:Rounding at the VA hospital in Wichita. One of those truly unbelievable moments. I remember seeing the first images and thinking we were just seeing the boosters separate and the shuttle was not in that huge gas ball. Took a while for it to sink in.

Interesting, most of us who remember seeing broadcasts from that day recall seeing it on live TV. But that shuttle launch was one of the first not broadcast on network television and most of us saw replays.http://www.nbcnews.com/id/11031097/ns/technology_and_science-space/t /m yths-about-challenger-shuttle-disaster/#.UtqFmUbnbIU

That's right. I was listening to the radio. They covered up until it cleared the pad, then had to break back in when everyone realized something had gone wrong. We were reminded that day, as we were 17 years later, that manned space flight is still something of an R&D program.

A friend and I had just left his apartment to head out to the mall when a young teen we considered pretty damn stupid ran up and told us that the space shuttle had just blown up. We shrugged it off and continued on our way. When we arrived at the mall the CMC (tv / stereo store) near the entrance had tvs in the front window, needless to say the replays were on and we spent the next hour in shock.

I was at work and a friend of mine came up to my desk to tell me the mission had blown up seconds after liftoff. After a prolonged silence, I realized there was no punch line and I felt awful the rest of the day.

11th grade Oceanography class. They wheeled in a tv and we watched the coverage right after it happened.

For 9/11, getting ready for work and just out of shower, Howard Stern on radio with TV on mute. Drying off and see TV is covering some skyscraper that has smoke coming out of it. I turn the tv up and they're talking about a plane hitting and as they say this I watch the second plane hit.

For Red Wedding, was in tub and crapped self. Had to then take shower - shower of tears. :(

I was in 4th grade. My principal came into the classroom, pulled the teacher aside, and then almost immediately the teacher gasped and burst into tears. Throughout the day all of the adults looked sad beyond words. Not of them told us, though. Not one. The principal decided that a noteworthy historical event wasn't worth losing two class periods in the afternoon.

I came home and my dad was watching the coverage. I was stunned beyond words. The sad thing is, because I know what actually happened and why, with the additional knowledge that they didn't die until they hit the water, I'm still stunned. It was my first encounter with the casual, callous nature of government. but not my last.

Fourth grade, watched it live. Our school was small enough that we watched it with fifth graders. I still remember when the shuttle blew up, the announcer saying: obviously, a major malfunction. Even at that age, I remember thinking: no shiat.

Unobtanium:That's right. I was listening to the radio. They covered up until it cleared the pad, then had to break back in when everyone realized something had gone wrong. We were reminded that day, as we were 17 years later, that manned space flight is still something of an R&D program

I still find it astonishing. 25-30 years ago manned space flight was in its infancy and the nation was captivated every time a launch occurred. There was so much promise. Now, the US doesn't even have a manned spaceflight program and no one even knows when missions launch.

Laying on the couch nursing a hangover and watching a shiatty game show. I don't remember the show, but I do remember I had solve the clue (WHALES), but the idiot contestants had not.

A "news break" broke in, and the news casters where like "It appears there has been a malfunction on the Space shuttle, we are told it happens at 1:xx on the video". Then they show the video, starting with the shuttle on the pad. I don't think the newscaster even knew what the "malfunction" was until it happend